Shank grip slidable jaw wrench



Nov. 6, 1951 w. SARVIE SHANK GRIP, SLIDABLE JAW WRENCH Filed April 28, 1948 Walter Sar vie Fig. 4.

Patented Nov. 6, 1951' UNITEDSTATES oFFICE v SHAN K GRIP SLIDABLE J AW WRENCH *Walt'er Sarvie; Alexandria Minn. r Application April as, 1948, SerialgNo. 23,779 I 1 .r s V This invention relates generally to wrenches, and more particularly to a wrench adapted for quick adjustment and for alternative use as pliers and as a clamp. v r

A primary object of this invention is to provide a combination wrench and pliers, in which the change from a wrench to pliers is made by simply adjusting a set screw.

Another object of .this invention is to provide a combination tool of the character mentioned above in which the clamping action may be acquired as a result of a single movement or'a succession of movementsof alever pivoted on a movable jaw. &

Still another object vide an arrangement of a movable jaw and latch plates on a shank member whichmay be incorporated in different types of tools such as pipe wrenches, bolt cutters, and many other tools in which one jaw is madeto approach another jaw. 1

And a last object to bespecifically mentioned is to provide a wrench having a very positive gripping action, which is safe, simple and very convenient to use, and whichwill give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter, described in the specification, particularly pointed rial part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the as sembled tool, portions of the tool being broken away and the underlying parts being shown in trating a modified form of this invention in which. the part referred to hereinafter as the handlein Figure 1 is deleted .and the shank which is integral with the fixed jaw in both Figures 1 and 4 is elongated to comprise a handle for the wrench, and this embodiment of the invention is further and t Figure 5 is a similar fragmentary view of a second modified form in' which thelatch plate is i linked to the movable jawat'one' end and a dif of this invention is to ro 6 Claims, (014181 152) j so out in the"appended claims, andillustrated 1n the accompanying drawings which'form a mate-V 350 simplifiedv by provision'of only onelatch plate; 7

ferentf type of spring is used 7 to bias this latch plate into a position inwh'ich the latch plate does not grip the shank.

,{S'imilar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the several views of the drawing. 1 Referring now to the drawing in detail, this invention includes-a tool having a fixed jaw I0 which ispreferably. integral with a shank l2}, a movable jaw l4, a lever" is and means for releasably fixing the movable jaw on the said shank. jIn the preferredembodiment of this inven tion,' illustrated in Figures "1, 2 and 3, which will be described first, a handle .18 is formed integral with" the fixed jaw l0 and the shank 12. The shank I2 is preferably rectangular in cross section and the 'movablejaw I4 is provided with a rectangular transverse aperture so that the movablejaw will slide reasonably freely upon the j shank, the working faces 2|] of the jaws 'registering', of course, and a heel portion 22 of the movable jaw extending in the general direction of the handle:

' Ag'enerally u -shaped plate 24 is rigidly secured to'the outerside of the movable jaw [4, as indicated at 26, andv this plate is apertured toreceive the shank l2 and a portion of the lever l6 which is pivoted, as atj28, on the movable jaw l4, and it may be here noted that the pivoted end of the lever I6 is bifurcated with the furcations -30 disposed laterally of the movable jaw l4..

'A spring 32, of coil type, is arranged coaxially onthe shank I2 and is compressed between the bight portion of the plate 24 and a latch plate 34. This latch plate is apertured to slide over the shank [2, the edges of the aperture being adapted to bite into theshankwhen the latch plate is dis- I posed-at a particular angle therewith, that is, the aperture 36 in the latch plate is formed with at least one pair, of parallel sides inclined to the shank I2 when the latch plate is normal thereto,

plate 48 is mounted between this second springv 38 anda projection 4| on the outer face of the 'movable jaw'M. I This second latch plate has anfaperture 42 similar to the v aperture 36 and theplates operate uponasimilar principle. The second latchplatehas :a lip. adapted to engage I sra r l ie meant me la h P te the side thereof remote from the pivot pin 28 when the second latch plate 40 is forced outwardly by pivotal movement of the lever IS with its integral furcations 30 and the inturned ears 46 thereon, best illustrated in Figure 2, which engage the second latch plate when the lever is moved substantially normal to the moving jaw l4. It will thus be seen that the ears 46 move the second latch plate into nongripping; relation with the shank i2 and continued movement. of the lever [6 will cause the latch plate 34 to be also shifted into more accentuated non-gripping relationship with the shank.

Ordinarily, however, this movementor the-lever I6 is reversed for disengagement of. thewrench from work wherewith it is being used,and disengagement of the first-mentioned latch plate- 34 is accomplished by coaction between the springs 32 and 38 acting. upon this latch "plate when, the. same is in engagement with the transversely disposed'pin 48 carried-"bythe pivoted end oi" the lever 18''. In' the position of the elements indicated in Fig. 1, this'transverselydisposed pin 48 is in aposition to press the. latch plate 34into gripping relationship'with the shank IZ'. Obviously", shifting'of the lever' l6 about its pivot point 28 will move the pin '48out" of eng'agement with the latch plate 34 immediately alter this plate" 'engages'the' lip 44 and'thislatch plate is released. The releasing of the latch plate 34 by the pin 48' does not: release the latch plate 40', and it will therefore be understood how this construction allows for successive shiftings of the lever i6 without'the' simultaneous release "of thesecond latch plate 40 from the shank, and it will'be further understood how a progressive gripping action is accomplished by the'tool.

When it is desired to operate this tool as a pail-of pliers; a set screw 50; threadedly mounted in the heel 22 or the movable'ja'w 14; is turned inwardly until the inner end or the set screw engages'the second latch plate 40"at 'a point remote-from the transverse pin 48'. Itwill be clear how the set screw 50 will shift this latch plate 4mm non-grippingrelationship with the shank, 4

and since'the other latch plate 341s released each time the lever i6 'isactu'ate'd in one directionfit' will be clear how this toolis adapted for use as a pair of pliers by' merely screwing the set screw Slinwardly. An end plate 52' may be secured to the other end or the shank 12' by a stud 54}, to retain the movable jaw and parts carried thereby from separating away from the shank i2.

In the modified form of this invention illustrated in- Figure 4, the handle I8 is deleted and the'shank l2 iselongated' to comprise ahandle member; The U-shaped plate 24'; spring 32', and latch plate 34, as well as the lever i6 and its pivotalconnection 28 onthe movable jaw l4, are

not changed materially. However, in this modiffi'ed form, the latch plate 40' is deleted and the transverse pin 48, along with the spring 32, comprise' the sole manipulating members for the nected by links '56 with the-lever Hi, the links being connected to the lever and to the latch plate by pivot pins 58 and 80, respectively. ,An-

: ments from the embodiment illustrated in Figother endof'the modified latch plate 34,di sposed oir-the' side of theshank l2" remote from: the;

pivot pin- 60, is biased into non-gripping relation with the shank i2 bya modified'spring 32" which 4 i4 and has an end 62 looped around the lastmentioned end of the modified latch plate 34.

The said heel portion is also analogous, in function, to the ears 46 shown in Figure 1. The coaction between the lever [B and the plate 34' is functionally analogous to the coaction between the lever I6 and the latch plate 34 already described.

The' operation. of this im ention will be clearly understoodfrom: the foregoing dscription of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the above recitation of the objects sought to' be achieved by this invention and a consideratiorr ot' the drawings. The modified forms described are achieved largely by deletion of eleures 1,2: and 3,112! the operation of the modified embodiments is similar but necessarily more limited than the operation of the preferred embodlment.

Obviously; many minor variations may bemade in" theenactconstruction' and theproportionment of the vanouselm of this inventionwithout departure from the spirit and scope thereof. According-ly,. the scope of this invention should be determined only in accordance with a proper interpretatimr oi the terminologyused in thesubjoined claims.

Having describedthe-invention; what isclaimed as new is:

1. A wrench havinga' handle with a shank and a fixed jaw thereon; a movable jaw slid'ably mountedon said 'shanktor coaction with said fixed jaw, a latch plate having an aperture receiving said shank and having apair or parallel sides terminating insharp edges to grip said shankwhen tiltedrelative tosaid shank, a spring biasihg'the latch plate into a second position substantially" perpendicuiar to saidshank for easy sliding'thereonj and a lever pivoted on said movable" jaw and extending in spaced relation to-said handle so that said handl'eand lever can be grasped by hand; sai'dlever havin a member rig-idly secured thereon and engageable with said latch plate for tilting the same into-shank gripping position;

21A wrench having a handle with a shank and a fixed jaw thereon; a movable jaw slidably mounted on said shank for coaction with said fixed jaw, a latch plate angularly apertured to receive said; shank'and having apair of parallel sidesterminating in sharp edges to grip said shank when-tilted relative'to said shank, a spring biasing the latch plateinto a second position substantially perpendicular tosaid shank for easysliding thereon, and a leverpivoted' on said movable 'iaw and extending in spaced relation to said handle sothat said handle and lever can be grasped byrhand, said lever having. a member rigidlysecured thereon and engageable with said latch plate' for tilting the same into shank-grippingpos'ition, a plate apertured' to receive said shank and secured to said movable jaw, said spring benig-cmiahwith' said shang and compressed between said last-mentioned plate and said latch plate;

3. A wrenchhaving a handle: with a shank and a fixed jaw thereon, a movable Jaw slidably mounted onsaidshank. for coaction with said fixed jaw, a latch plate singularly" apertured toreceive said shank and having a pair-of parallel sides terminating in, sharp edges to grip said shank' when tilted relative, to said shank,. a spring biasing the latch'plate into a second position,

is'carriedby aheel portion or the movable jaw substantially perpendicular to said shank for easy sliding thereon, a lever pivoted on said movable jaw and extending in spaced relation to said handle so that said handle and lever can be grasped by hand, said lever having a member rigidly secured thereon and engageable with said latch plate for tilting the same into shank-gripping position, and means for rendering the said spring and latch plate ineffective so that the wrench may be used in the manner of pliers.

4. A wrench having a handle with a shank and a fixed jaw thereon, a movable jaw slidably mounted on said shank for coaction with said fixed jaw, a latch plate angularly apertured to receive said shank and having a pair of parallel sides terminating in sharp edges to grip said shank when tilted relative to said shank, a spring biasing the latch plate into a second position substantially perpendicular to said shank for easy sliding thereon, a lever pivoted on said movable jaw and extending in spaced relation to said handle so that said handle and lever can be grasped by hand, said lever having a member rigidly secured thereon and engageable with said latch plate for tilting the same into shank-gripping position, and means for rendering the said spring and latch plate ineffective so that the wrench may be used in the manner of pliers, said means comprising an adjustable member on said movable jaw on the side thereof remote from said member on the lever to prevent the tilting of the latch plate when the movable jaw is in certain positions.

5. A wrench according to claim 1 and wherein said lever has a member rigidly secured thereon and engageable with said latch plate on the side thereof remote from said portion to release said plate from tilted and shank-gripping position when said lever is shifted into one position.

6. A wrench according to claim 1 and including a second latch plate on said shank, and a second spring compressed between said latch plates, the one of said plates more nearly adjacent the movable jaw having a member engaging the other of said plates.

WALTER SARVIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 350,935 Leslie Oct. 19, 1886 465,272 Iverson Dec. 15, 1891 552,795 Thompson Jan. 7, 1896 654,524 Descher et al June 24, 1900 836,303 Christensen Nov. 20, 1906 1,438,442 King Dec. 12, 1922 

